A box of old photographs which sold at an auction in Cumbria last week is believed to include a precious collection of 1850 Daguerreotypes believed to be worth £500,000.

Languishing in a box for half a century the 135 images have turned out to include 121 ?long-lost Daguerreotypes of Venice? taken by – or once belonging to – the artist and writer John Ruskin, according to a report in today?s Daily Telegraph.

The pictures were valued at around £80 but sold at auctioneers in Penrith on 22 March for £75,000.

However, it has since been discovered that they could actually be worth £500,000, according to the newspaper.

The images ? housed in a mahogany box – had belonged to an elderly man in Cumbria and were sold at Penrith Farmers & Kidds auctioneers.

Picture credit: PFK Auctions